Gas-engine.



N. DE LONG.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1909.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

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V GAS ENGINE. AYPPLIOATIOH FILED JAN. 6, p09.

Patentd Aug. 16,1910.

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GAS ENGINE.

' APPLIOATIGN FILED JAN. 6, 1909.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

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GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.'6, 1909.

5 SHBETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Au 16, 1910.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910" 5 SHEETS-$33111 5 flu/621%!" Q KN m NW N. DE LONG.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. e, 1909.

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. UNITED STATES Pigr NT OFFICE.

NELSON DE LONG, or CHICAGO,- ILLINOIS.

GAS-ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern."

. Be it known that I, NELSON DE Lone, a

line 33 of Figs. 2 and 8; Fig. 4 is a section" of a portion of the apparatus on :line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the broken line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2; Figs. 7 to 10 are sections on correspondingly numberedlines in Fig.

2, the section for Fig. 9, also being shown on Fig. 11; 'Fig. 11 is a section on the broken line 11l1 of- Fig. 7; Fig. 12 is a perspectiveof one end of one of the connecting rods.

Inthe said drawings, 20 is a frame providing an upper support at 21 and a lower support 22. Passing through and secured to the support 21 is a vertical tube 23 which serves both as an inlet pipe for mixed air and gas, and as a portion of the bearing on which the parts revolve. The lower portion of the tube 23 is bent at right anglesand is rigidly secured to another piece 24 which forms a vertical continuation of the tube 23. The piece or part 24 is a tubular upward projection from a circular or disk-like piece 25, and from the lower face of 25 is a solid cylindrical projection 26, the axis of which is in line with the axis of the tube 23. Bigidly secured to the projection 26 is another cylindrical piece 27, the axis ofwhichis in line with the tubular projection 24. The

' lower end of the; piece or part 27 is held in thelower support 22. The various parts or are. in effect one piece formpieces 23 to, 2 c mg a stationary crank aboutwhlchthe parts revolve. The axis oi. parts 23 and 26 is the axis about which the pistons-of theen ine revolve, and the axis. of the parts 24 an 27 cylinders and the commita l dev ce52, j j

l bliantllli 51of thiswire extendsdownthrough arenas rotecting tube56 which passes 110' is the axis for the in rods. c ounted torotate ab ut the ing 29 being inserted between 26 and 28 for anti-friction purposes. Radially projecting from the frame 28 are five pairs 3Q Specification of lettersl'atent. Application filed January a, 19cc. Serial no. 470,922.

, extend to the parts 24 an 27.

. lent pulley for conveying 26 is a piston-supporting fram 2 wbuSh;

each pair of such tubes is a piston 32. The upper tubes 30 communicate with an. annularspace 33 to which gas is admitted through the tubes 23 and 24. The lower radial tubes 31 communicate with a corresponding annular space 34 which leads to the exhaust.

Mounted to slide on each piston 32 is a cylinder 35, each ylinder 35 being provided with exterior tru nions 36 from which upper and lower connectin rods 37 and 38 Secured. to tlie upper portion of the piston carrier-or frame 28 is a casing39 which incloseslcertain parts and which has a bearing Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

and 31, and supported on the outer ends of upon the exterior surface of theinlet tube I 23; On any suitable portion of thiscasing 39 is secured a'sprocket wheel 40 orequivapower fromthe engine to any desired point.

At a convenient place on the interior surface of the casing 39 is a ring of insulating material 41 rovided with five contact strips 42 having binding posts 43. Secured to-the piece-23 is an arm 44 of insulating material,

and on this arm is pivoted another arm 45.

having a contact'roller 46 adapted to make electrical connection successively with the contact strips 42 as thecasin 39 and said strips move in the direction 0 the arrow in Fig. 6. A spring 47 acts to hold, the roller in contact wlth said strips.

In the support 21 is a spindle 48 provided 4 with a gear 49 which meshes with another gear 50 secured to the casing 39. Onthe upper end of the spindle 48 is a cam 51 which closes a contact making device 52 once during each revolution of the spindle 48. The contact-making device 52 is supported on an arm 53 which is loosely pivoted on the spindle 48; A link-54extends to any convenient fixed oint and furnishes a means for adjusting t e position ofthe arm 53 so that the contact device 52 willbe closed earlier or laterby the cam 51,.as may be desired. The gearing. 49-50 is so arranged that the contactde'vice 52willbeclosed each time that the contact roller 46trave1stwo fifthsof the circumference of the ring '41. Conducting Y wires extend to'and from the contact closing .as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. One

through t e". tube 23 and the arm 44. The wire 55 then connects through asultable bindingpostwith the spring' lhas shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The electrical connections are continued from binding posts-43 through channels and chambers.

wires 76 to the spark plugs 75, one such being seeured in each piston. (Figs. 3, and 7 in the outer faces of the pistons 32 permit access to these valves. The valves 57 and '58 are provided with stems 61 and 62 which extend toward the center of the engine, and apparatus like that shown at the center of Fig. 3 serves to control the valves through said stems.

On the u per cylindrical part of the piece 27 is an a justable gear 63. (See Figs. 2 and 5.) This gear meshes with and is normally held stationary by a small pinion on the upper'end of the spindleg64; A handle 65 on the spindle 64 serves asa means for adjusting the position of the"non-rotating gear 63.. Secured in thelower portion of the piston-holder 28 is a stud 66, on which are mounted ears 67 and 68 secured together,-bnt of ifterent diameters. The gear 67 meshes with the gear 63, and the gear 68 meshes with another gear 69 loosely mounted upoljtia .po'rtion of the piston carrier 28.

The 'result of this arrangement is that gears 67 and 68 are planetary gears revolving about the stationary, but adjustable gear 63,

. and that the engagement between the gear 68 and gear 69 causes this last gear to revolve at a different speed from the speed of the piston-carrier. A portion of the sleeve on which gear 69 is formed also forms a ring having cams 70 as shown in Figs. 2 and;3.

Secured to the ring having cams 70 is another ring having similar cams 71. (Fig. 2.)

At convenient points in the piston-carrier 28 are pins 72 on which are pivoted arms 73 and 74 operated upon by earns 70 and 71. Cams 71 and arms 74 form a set controlling the admission valves 57, and cams 70 and arms 73 form another set controlling the exhaust valves 58. As these two sets differ fromeach other onlyin the angular posiftions of the cams for controlling the times of lepening and closing the admission and exhaust ports, the illustration of the exhaust set in Fig.3 will serve as an illustration of both sets. I

The, valve stems 62 (Figs. 3 and 11) are connected to larger ofiset stems 77 which are provided with slots engaged by the free ends of the arms .7 3. As the cams 7 0 move relatively to the piston-carrier 28, by reason or.

the planetary gearing previously described;

to intermittently open the valves 58. In a corresponding manner, the cams 71 will operate to intermittently open the valves 57. The valves are closed by the centrifugal action of the pistons and valves revolving about a center.

-By inspectiontof Fig. 2 it will be seen that gas entering the elbow 78 has free access through 23 and 24 into the annular space 33, and from here through the tubes 30 into the chambers 79 of the pistons 32. The chamber 79 for any one piston can be best traced by comparin Figs. 2 and 8 to 11 with each other. For descriptive purposes the gas will be assumed, as entering the piston shown at the right in Figs. 2 and 3, and that the pistons and cylinders are revolving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. The successive positions of the pistons and cylinders are marked A, B, C, D and E. Gas entering the chamber 79 flows to that part of the chamber which is over the valve 57, as shown in Fig. 11, but does not pass through that valve at the time as it is held closed by centrifugal force. The valve 58 is also closed at this time. As the cylinder moves from the position A to the position B it also moves outward radially on its piston, being permitted to do so by its connecting rods 37 and 38, which are connected to the axis 2427 while the piston is connected to the axis 26. It may be remarked that these connecting rods are intended to act only in tension, the force causing the outward movement of the cylinder being centrifugal force and the movement being restrained by the tension of the rods. This outward movement causes a vacuum or rarefication in the chamber 80, part of which extends under the valves 57 and 58, as will be seen by comparing Figs. 3, and 11. At the desired point in the movement of the cylinder from position B to osition C, the valve 57 is opened and gas ows rapidly through this valve from chamber 79 to chamber 80 which is in free communication with the s ace 81 between the iston and, the cylinder. The opening of t is valve is" caused by the movement of the cams 71 relatively to the arms; 74, which cams and arms are, as previously 115 described, similar to the cams and arms 73. Also, as previously described, the exact time of opening the valve 57 is determined by adjusting the arm 65 (Fig. 2) so as to? .rawninward by theconnecting rods 37 and '38, andthe'gas in space 81 is highly com- 1 pressed. I'The contact closing device 52 (Fig. 2-), and* the contact device 46-42 '5 (Fig. 6), (have their movements so related to the movement of the cylinder, that a circuit is closed through theparticular strip 42' 'wh chi'sassociated' withthe spark plug 75 -1n'the cylinder which is' at position A, and

10 has compressed gas therein as just described.-

a This causes a current to flow from a suitable source of electricity through-the wire 82 to .the contact closing'device 52, thence through wire 55 and associated parts to roller 46,

thence to the strip 42on which the roller 46 is atth e time, thence through the wire 76 tothe arcing points of the spark plug 75, and then to the frame of the engine, which represents ground. This ignites the compressed gas and causes an explosion, at the time when the cylinder is at or near the posiationi A, which is its deadcenter.

As previously described, the exact time of closing the contact device 52 is adjustable by J means ofthe pivoted lever 53 and its linlr -'54.- The'llength of the contact strips 42, en gaged by the roller 46, is sufficient to permit of considerable adjustment in this respect. As the-piston continues to revolve-passing 3 0 through positions B and C, theexploded gas expands and furnishes power, through heavy tensionon the connecting rods 37 and 38, to *drive the engine forward. At about the time when the cylinder is midway between C and D, the cam 70 acts upon the lever 7 3 which is connected to the exhaust -valve 58 in-the piston for this cylinder. This permits the expanded gas to esca e from chamber 80 to chamber 83, which c amber is in com- 4"IlllllllC3tiOIl with the exhaust tube 31. The

connections for this'may be best seen by comparingfFigsg2; "5 and 11. As previously de- Y scribed, all tubes 31 communlcate with the annular space'34. Extending radially from thisannul'ar space, and intermediate the --cylinders, are a series of small exhaust- T mufilers which require no special description asl t'o their details. The exhaust is, therefore,

I distributed to a plurality of mufflers, and the "mufiiing; effect is superior in consequence. Theexhaust valve 58 is held open by the cam 70Whilethe cylinder is passing through the positions D and E, and is. simultaneously drawn inward to expel the burned gas. At about the time the cylinderis again in posi?- tion Athe' exhaust-valve 58 isiagain closed, and theapparatus is in the position it was at the beginning of the above description.

revolutions, and as there are five cylinders,

.used to represent the successive positions of one of them, after an explosion pccurs' :It will thus be seen that an explosion oc cuts in eachicylinder once during eachtwo in cylinder A the next explosion will be in cylinder D, the next in cylinder B, the next in cylinder E, the next in cylinder C, and then'again in cylinder A. As thus described it will be seen that the pistons revolve about 7 the axis of 26 and the cylinders revolve about the axis of2427. A diagram of the motion would be two overlappingcircles-drawn on to adjacent centers. The cylinders do not move through equal arcs in equal times, however, owing to the fact that the cylinders are constrained to move with respect to the pistons on the rigid radii of the pistons.

The cylinders are made as light as practicable, and have rounded ends to avoid sharp corners. The trunnions 36 are hollow and provided with-caps as shown in Fig. 2. This furnishes a reservoir for lubricant for the bearings of the connecting rods 37 and 38. These connecting rods act in tension rather than in compression, and are little more than straps or links. As five of them connect ,to a single bearing forming the stationary crank, a special form is used to get a good surface on this bearing. This form is shown-in Fig. 12. As these rods act only in tension there is only one part of the eye which is subjected to strain. At thispoint there is inserted in the eye, and secured thereto, .a sector 90 of a hollow cylinder. The insid'e diameter of the cylinder from which these sectors are cut is the same as the outside diameter of the stationary crank bearings 24 and 27 and the outside diameter of the cylinder is the same as the inside' bo diameter oftthe eye in the end of the rod 3.7.

These various sectors are in the nature of a sectional bushing between the crank and the connecting rod. As the connectlng rods do not all lie in the same plane they are con-- nected to the diiferent sectors';'-at different positions in the axial lengths of -the sectors. The top and bottom rods, of the series of live connected to one crank, are coniiected'to the sectors near their ends, while intermediate rods are connected to their sectors at.intermediate points. Fig. 12 illustrates one of the intermediate connecting rods. If there were no angularity to these connecting rods in the operation of the engine, each sector might beone-fifth of a circumference and the five might form a completebushing; but as these rods have angularity in their positions, and as the sectors are secured to the rods, the sectors areeachsomewhatless than c a The pistons have been described as supported 011 the tubes30 and 31. As shown.

in Figs; 2 and 5,these tubes are screwed into both the carrier28and thepistonsr32, hence 1 5 they I serve not" only as passageways for gas, but also as a means fQrad uStmg said pis- -tons radially with respect t'ti the fixed axis about which they revolve. In addition t0 these supports there is ineach piston a third 30 support 91 -(Fig. 8) consisting of a post so located with reference to the strain under tubes 30 and 31.

The cylinders are kept comparatively cool by their rapid revolution through free air. Except at the points where the exhaust tubes 31 enter the annular space 34, the lower interior portion of the carrier 28 is open and exposed to the free circulation. of air, as will be seen by an inspection of the left central portion of Fig. 2.

To facilitate the circulation of air close to the bearing 26, about which the pistons revolve, the flange portion of the piece 27 has in it a series of holes 92. (Figs. 2 and 5.) As thus constructed the air circulates freely about the annular space3+t and the exhaust .tubes 31 leading theretof The rapid rotation of the cylinders causes a rapid circulation of air and prevents adjacent parts from becoming overheated.

lVhat I claim is? 1. In a'gas engine, the combination with a crank, and a plurality of cylinders revolving about said crank, of a corresponding plurality of connectingrods from said cylinders to the same bearing on said crank, each connecting rod being provided with a sector of a bushing, valves for admitting fresh gas into the cylinders, sparking devices for igniting the gas, and other valves for permitting the burned gas to escape.

2. In a gas engine, a piston carrier mount- I ed to rotate about a fixed center, tubes attached to and extending radially from said carrier, pistons supported on said tubes, an

inlet tube for admitting gas to said carrier from which such gas may flow through the radial tubes to said pistons, cylinders mounted to slide on said pistons, valves for permitting gas to flow from the pistons to the cylinders, means for igniting gas admitted .to the cylinders so'as to cause explosions and consequent reciprocations of the same, and connections from each cylinder to a second fixed center removed a small distance from the fixed center about which the carrier rotates.

3. In a gas engine, the combination with a series of pistons, revolving about a common fixed axis, a corresponding series of.

the engine, and electrical connections from- 'said sparking devices to said contact closing device.

" 4. In a gas engine, a piston carrier mounted to rotate about a fixed axis, said carrier providing an annular space for the admission of fresh gas and a second annular-space for the outlet of burned gas,'-a series of radial tubes extending in pairs from the inlet aud outlet spaces respectively, a chainbered piston secured to each pair of tubes, a series at cylinders corresponding to the pistons and constrained to revolve about an axis adjacent to the axis of the carrier, valves for admitting fresh gas from the inlet tubes to the spaces between the pistons and the ends of their cylinders, sparking devices for igniting the gas so admitted, and other valves for permitting the burned gas to escape to the outlet tubes.

5. In a engine, a series of cylinders and a corresponding series of pistons arranged to revolve about adjacent fixed axes, a central body on which the pistons are car'- ried and providing passageways for fresh and burned gas, a series of radial tubes extending in pairs from the said passageways, valves for admitting fresh gas to the spaces between pistons and the ends of their cylinders, and spark plugs for igniting the gas so admitted.

6. In a gas engine, a plurality of pistons mounted to revolve about a fixedcenter, a cylinder for each piston, connections from each cylinder to a fixed center other than about which the pistons revolve so that the cylinders move on their pistons, a piston carrier, adjustable tubes attached to and extending radially from said carrier to said piston, an inlet tube for admitting gas to said carrier, from which such gas may flow through the radialtubes 'to the pistons,

valves for permitting gas to flow from the" to revolve about adjacent fixed axes, valves for controlling the admission and'discharge of gas from said cylinders, planetary gearing located at and operating about one of said axes, cams operated by said gearing and serving to control the opening and closing of said valves, and a hand operated device for adjusting said gearing so as to vary the time of opening and closing said valves.v

8. In a gas engine, a series of pistons and a correspondingseries of cylinders arranged carrier providing passageways for gas to and from said cylinders, valves for controlling the flow of gas through said passageways, planetary gearing arranged to operate the valves of alternate cylinders in succession, and a hand operated device for adjusting said planetary gearing so as to varythe times of operating said valves.-

to revolve about adjacent fixed axes, a piston 9. In a gas engine, a series of pistons and a corresponding series of cylinders arranged to revolve'about adjacent fixed axes, means having its sparking point in connection with the gas admitted to the associated cylinder,

and means controlled by theunovement of the engine for sending a-current of electricity through said spark plug so as to ignite the gas in the cylinder.

10. In a gas engine, a series of pistons and a corresponding series of cylinders, valves for admitting. gas to different cylinders in succession, a spark plug supported in each piston, a' contact closing device operated by the movement of the engine, and electricalconnections from saidcontact closing device to all of said spark plugs.

11. In a gas engine, a series of valves for admitting gas to dilferentcylinders-in succession, a sp rk plug supported in each piston, a contact closing device operated by the movement of the engine, interrupted' electrical connections from the contact closing device to each spark plug,

and a distributing contact device arranged to complete the electrical connections from said contact closing device to different spark plugs in succession.

12. In a gas engine, a series of pistons and cylinders, a corresponding series of contact strips located in a circle, a t 'aveling contact devrce arranged to engage said strips in succession, a sparking device associated with each pistonand its cylinder, electrical con-. nections fromeach sparking device to a different contact strip, alsecon d contactdevice arrangedto close electrical connections to said traveling devices at times when said traveling device is in electrical connection with one of'said strips, andwin adjustable device for varying the time at which said is'tons" and a corresponding series of cylinders,

ing with the inlet opening in said crank,

the carrier and the pistons being provided the pistons to the cylinders at predetermined pomts in their movements, means for mined times, and'connectingrods extending from pivots on all of the cylinders to the other axis of the crank.

14. In a gas engine, the combination with a crank, and a plurality of reciprocating members, of a corresponding plurality of connecting rods from said members-to the same bearing on said crank, each connecting rod being provided with a sector of a bushing, substantially as described.

15. In a gas engine, the combination with a crank, and ,a plurality of cylinders revolving about said crank, of a corresponding plurality of connecting'rods from said cyl inders toxthe same bearing on said crank. the eyes in said connecting rods being of greater diameter and less length than the bearing of the crank to which they extend, and plurality of sectors of a bushing located between the bearing and the eyes, one sector being connected to the eye of each connecting rod. 1

16. In a gas engine, a series of pistons e a fixed axis, a cylinder for each piston, means for admitting gas to the cylinders and igniting the same so as to cause revolutions .of the pistons, a framework provid ing an exhaust chamber into which burned gases are discharged from said cylinders, and a series of mutiiers communicating with said exhaust chamber and extending radially WVAL'rER H. REDFIELD,

- CARRIE E. JORDAN.

a series of pistons secured to said carrier,

with passageways for gas from the chamber in the carrler to the pistons, a. cylinder for eachpiston, valves for admitting gas from.

igniting the gas so admitted at predcter-.

tending radially from and revolving about.

from the fixed axis at points between said pistons.

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 4th day of Jan. 190.9. I

NELSON DE LONG.

\Yitnesses: i 

